Gift of a Bell
by TheNovelArtist
Summary: AU. After a Christmas party hosted by Mister Fu, Marinette receives a wonderful gift from him. How said gift landed her in a magic land with only a human-cat as her guide, she wasn't certain. To get home, she must find the Princess Ladybug, and quickly. The magic of the realm is warping with each second, increasing her chances of being trapped there, forever.
1. Chapter 1

Marinette had spent two weeks perfecting her dress. Brilliant red satin, heavily beaded and finished with a black sash. She had saved up for all the materials and was proud to show off her work at the party tonight. Especially since she was one of the least wealthy people there.

Master Fu, a very wealthy sort of gentleman, had given out invitations to everyone in his neighborhood, as well as mix of other friends and acquaintances, both wealthy and not.

Marinette's parents owned the bakery that Master Fu frequently visited. It might be the only bakery he visited; Marinette couldn't be sure. Still, he had been kind enough to extend an invitation as guests, not just catering, so the Dupain-Chengs were determined to enjoy themselves at the event.

Extravagant was not the right word. Classy was much more accurate. The rented dance hall had dark wood flooring that was polished to a shine. White drapery hung from the walls, accented with bouquets of white flowers, gold ribbons, and gleaming bells. The rich brown wood tables that lined the walls were accented with white table clothes and decorated with fine, gold-rimmed porcelain dishes. Crystal goblets and silver utensils were perfectly arranged on golden placemats.

On the other side of the hall, music from a small, stringed orchestra filled the air. People were already dancing and enjoying themselves, chatting with friends and acquaintances, and likely making connections for business deals. Her papa had done that many a time.

It had been a joyous party, one with delicious food and lively music. Marinette had been asked to dance a couple of times. She had warned them beforehand of her tendency to step on toes, but always promised to do her best. Enemies were not made, but neither were friends.

Chloe being the exception of this rule solely because she was Marinette's enemy even before this party.

The party ended late, though no one, not even Master Fu, was complaining. Gradually, people started to leave. Master Fu repositioned himself by the door in order to hand out gifts to all of his guests. Chloe and her father left before Marinette, so she was able to see Master Fu give the spoiled brat a small black box tied with a ribbon and bell. Chloe lavishly thanked him for the gift and the party before she followed her father away.

"Ah, Mr. Dupain," Master Fu addressed. "I am so glad that you and your family could make it to the party."

"We were honored to be invited," Papa replied.

"Still, I wish you the merriest of Christmases. And before you go…" he reached into one of the containers and pulled out an ornate black box wrapped in a vibrant green ribbon, competed with a little bell. "Allow me to bestow a gift to your lovely daughter."

"For me?" Marinette questioned, looking at the little box, knowing Chloe had been given one very similar.

Master Fu grinned, his kind eyes shining with mirth. "Of course."

Marinette hesitantly took the box. "I thank you very much. It is far more than I expected."

"That is what Christmas is about," Master Fu said. "To bestow blessings on those who deserve it, and sometimes, even those who don't."

"Still," Marinette said, holding the gift reverently. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome. I hope you will come to my New Year's ball as well. I'm sure it will be spectacular."

"We will see," Mr. Dupain said. "Thank you for the invitation."

Marinette followed her parents outside into the night air, only to see Chloe opening her gift. She gasped at whatever was inside, showing her father and waving around the ribbon that had held the box shut.

Suddenly, something darted out of the alley way of the building, making its way to Chloe and reaching up to play with the ribbon.

Chloe felt the tug and turned to retrieve her ribbon, only to screech at the solid black cat. "EWW!" She shrieked. "Scram, you beast. Get!"

The cat cowered and bolted back to the alleyway. Chloe huffed indignantly. "Can you believe that? I was nearly attacked. And it almost made off with my ribbon!" She immediately handed her father her gift so she could tie the gold ribbon into her blonde hair. "There," she said, snatching the box back from her father. "Perfect, and it will go lovely with my new earrings."

"What a witch," Marinette mumbled under her breath. However, the mention of earrings made Marinette wonder what could be in her box. Carefully, she untied her ribbon and flicked open the box to reveal a dazzling pair of red earrings. Marinette gasped. Master Fu must have spent a small fortune on the earrings alone if he gave them out to all the girls in attendance. There had been a couple dozen girls her age.

Suddenly, she felt a yank on her ribbon. Looking down, she noticed the black cat had come back and was now batting at her green ribbon. Marinette grinned. She wasn't the biggest fan of cats, but even she had to admit that this cat was pretty cute. She jiggled the ribbon, only for the cat to play with it, always reaching far up for the end that the bell was tied to. It leaped in the air, and Marinette yanked the ribbon upwards, seeing if the cat could grab it. Instead, it landed in the snow with a _poof._

Her parents giggled behind her, but she knew they were anxious to go home because of the early morning they had tomorrow. "Bye, kitty," she said, reaching down to pet the cat's ears. It started purring up a storm.

With that, she wrapped the ribbon around her box and followed her parents home. Only to be followed by the black cat. It followed at her heels like a loyal puppy dog. Like it belonged to her. Marinette stopped and turned. "Go home, kitty." She said. "Go on."

But the cat simply sat in the snow, looking up at Marinette longingly.

She shook her head. "I don't want you to get lost. Go home, kitty." In hopes to deter it, she stomped her feet in the snow, taking baby steps towards it.

Instead, the cat stared at her, then butted its head against her legs, rubbing up against her.

Giving up, Marinette sighed. "Fine, follow us home," she said exasperatedly. Her parents shook their heads in amusement.

But the cat did just as Marinette said, tailing her all the way home.

When they got to the front door, the cat sat on the mat, staring pitifully at them.

Marinette always knew she had a soft heart, and she just couldn't stand the way he sat there like a lost dog, looking up at her in hopes he would be let inside in the warmth. Marinette groaned. "Stay there. I'll be back."

While her parents went to bed, she went into the kitchen, fishing through the refrigerator for the left over fish they had as well as the milk. Putting both the milk and the bits of fish into their own paper bowls, she heated them up in the microwave for a moment to warm them, then went back outside to place the bowls by the door.

The cat meowed loudly as it smelled the bowls, almost a "thank you" before it dug into the fish.

"Good kitty," she said, giving it one last pet before she went inside and collapsed into bed.

The next day, Marinette was up bright and early, though she was little more than dead on her feet. Her father gave her the list of deliveries that needed to be taken care of. It was Christmas Eve, after all. Everyone wanted something for the holiday, and since the bakery was closed for Christmas, they had many, _many_ orders for today, several of which had to be delivered. So, after examining the list, Marinette gathered the orders she needed, and started out.

The moment she left the front door, she nearly tripped over a mass of black on the sidewalk.

The cat.

Marinette stared at the cat, who looked like she hadn't just tripped over him, as it marched over to her side and sat down. Marinette swore it was smiling at her as it let out a loud "meow."

"Hi, kitty," she said, exhausted.

It meowed up at her again.

"I'm tired. I have work. I can't do this today. Sorry." With that, she marched off.

Only for the cat to follow her.

She just let it go. She wasn't in the mood to fight the thing today.

Nine deliveries later, the cat still followed right at her side as though he was on a leash. Honestly, it had been nice to have company, even if only a cat. When she got back home, the cat took its place sitting by the door. "Meow."

Marinette looked down at the cat in pity and amusement. "All right. Wait right there."

She went into the kitchen, fishing through the fridge to find some leftover turkey from a meal. Taking off a chunk, she went back to the front door, then dropped it in front of the cat. "There you go, kitty."

It happily munched on the small portion as though seated at a feast. Marinette marveled over how a cat could eat and purr at the same time. She retreated inside, only for her father to give her more deliveries.

She sighed, but took the items to do her job.

And when she walked out, there was her kitty, sitting and waiting.

"You ready to go?"

The cat bounded up and forward three paces before turning back around to her. "Meow!"

Her mood improving by the moment despite the bitter cold, Marinette started off, the cat following loyally at her side.

By the time her nose was pink and runny, her fingers were numb, and her legs were stiff, she was finished. The cat constantly looked up at her, worried. "Good kitty," she coaxed, sniffling.

Unconvinced, the cat groaned.

When she got home, she went straight inside and up to her room. She cocooned herself in blankets and sat on her bed surrounded with tissues and mustering the strength to go make herself hot cocoa.

And then she heard a _thunk_ on her balcony. She dismissed it, but when there came a perpetual scratching on her window, she forced herself to go check it out.

Only to find the cat.

"Hi, kitty," she said, slightly surprised. "How'd you get up here?"

It meowed, then reached out to pat her nose.

She giggled. "I'm ok," she said, reaching out to pet the cat, its fur cold and snow covered. "Good kitty."

It purred, leaning into Marinette's touch. It caused her to grin. "You know, you're enough to make me like cats."

It meowed loudly, as though in offence.

She giggled. "But I suppose you're my cat now, huh?"

It meowed again, leaning into Marinette's hands and purring.

Happily, she sighed. "Wait here." She closed the hatch. Padding around her room, she found the ribbon, the one with the little bell. Perfect for her cat.

Pushing the door open again, she knelt down to be able to wrap the ribbon around the cat. Honestly, the color was striking against its black fur.

"From now on, you are Chat Noir. 'kay, kitty?"

Wearing the bell with pride, the cat meowed, then started rubbing up against her.

Giggling, she petted her new kitty. "Good Chat."


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette was fast asleep on her desk when the midnight bells chimed, ringing in Christmas day. White snowflakes drifted lazily down from the sky, sparkling in the fake light of the street lamps. They landed lightly in Chat Noir's fur, reminding him that he was banished from the house though the lady he cared for and who cared for him was on the opposite side of the glass window pane.

But he had become accustomed to such harsh conditions. The curse of his form and the superstitions that surrounded it. Hence why he would cling to the lovely lady who dared to chance her luck with him. And why he would stay outside her window in the bitter cold when he would have found a more secure shelter hours ago.

In the night, no one could have seen the purple moth floating among the snow speckled sky. One that morphed through the glass unnoticed by the sleeping duo. It landed on the shelf above Marinette's desk, its wings slowly flapping. Suddenly, in a flash of purple light, there was no longer just one, but many purple moths fluttering around the room, each finding a place to perch so they could watch the girl.

While not affecting Marinette, the sudden light had woken the cat, and when he caught sight of the cursed soldiers, he began to panic. Frantically, he scratched at the window, desperate to get in, desperate to save his lady from such a fate. He yowled into the night, hoping to awaken her so she could escape the attack that was being prepared as she slept in peaceful ignorance.

Thankfully, she stirred, her nose scrunching as she shifted her head in her arms. He cried out her name, only for it once again to come out as a cat's yowl as he continued scratching at the window.

Groggily, she lifted her head from the desk, looking over to the window. "Kitty?" she said, her voice raspy with sleep. But the longer she watched Chat Noir scratching at her window, crying into the night, the more awake she grew.

She stood from her seat, taking one step towards the window when something purple caught her eye. She turned, spying the purple butterfly. No. Plural. Slowly, uncertainly, she spun a circle, eyeing all the many purple butterflies that glowed in her room. In a flash, they launched, mobbing her in a flurry of purple and black, surrounding her with the sound of beating wings. She dropped to the floor with a squeak, but she couldn't escape their entrapment.

Chat Noir let out one last cry before hissing at the window. His eyes glowed green, as did his paws, and with a single touch, her entire window was destroyed.

He launched into the fray, his paws still glowing green just as the moth mob started giving off purple light, one that oddly mixed with a dull pink. But Chat Noir didn't notice, nor did he care. He would protect his lady at all costs.

When he landed into the fray, white began to shine in the room, brighter, and brighter. And then everything disappeared with a brilliant flash.

* * *

Cold. It enveloped her. Surrounded her. Nudged at her until she finally opened her eyes. She was greeted with the sight of ice above her and feeling of powdery snow below. Hazy light illuminated the ice, causing it to glow with cold whites and blue hues. She forced herself to sit up, the snow brushing against her leggings. She frowned down at the ground. _Odd_ , she thought, running trails through the dusting of snow with her fingers, _it's cold, but how am I not freezing?_

A groan echoed through the cave, and she jumped at the sound. Whipping around, she saw a black mass laying on the ground. One shaped like a body.

Carefully, curiously, she reached forward to touch his shoulder, only to jump and scamper backwards when the form shifted.

The body released yet another groan before pushing itself up off the ground to sit upright. And that's when Marinette took a moment to examine him. A mass of blonde hair fell from his head, surrounding a set of…cat ears? Looking closer, she could see that he had a tail, too. And claws on his gloved hands. He even had silver toes on his boots, mimicking little white cat paws. But the oddest thing was the mask he wore, one that held stiff, thread-like strings to stick outwards from the bottom to mimic the whiskers of a cat.

He then looked down to examine himself, his own eyes opening as if in shock. As if he couldn't believe…

"I'm human."

A slight smile came across his face as he clenched and unclenched his hands. And he laughed when he wiggled his toes.

Then, he looked up to meet her gaze, and her blue eyes widened at the sight of his stunning green. Green…but like a cat's. Marinette blinked a couple times, thinking her imagination must be playing tricks on her. Alas, it wasn't.

"Marinette," he said, standing up and nearly stumbling in the process.

As her heart fluttered nervously and her mind raced with questions, she stared wide-eyed up at the masked stranger. "Who…who are you?" she eventually managed, but as her eyes looked over his body, she froze at the sight of the bell, one oddly familiar. She stood, entranced by the gleaming bell that hung on a green ribbon around his neck.

He watched as she carefully reached out to run her fingers over the bell then the green ribbon. "I'm Chat Noir."

Even though it seemed to be the most ridiculous statement in the world, she believed him. "How…how…?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I've been trying to get back into my human form for quite some time. Something I did must have allowed me to return to my real form."

"With cat ears and a tail?"

He looked down at his extra appendage before chuckling. "Well…for the most part."

She looked him up and down once more before looking over her surroundings. "Where are we?"

Chat Noir looked around, his brow furrowing as though he were just noticing where they were. "Hm…I wonder…if…"

"If…" Marinette prompted.

He wandered out of the cave they were in to the entrance, the one that revealed a winter wonderland. When he turned back to her, his eyes had widened with excitement. "We are."

While he wasn't much more than a stranger, she didn't want to be left alone in this odd place that was, very clearly, not her bedroom. She followed him to the entrance of the cave, looking out over the snow-covered land herself. Her own eyes widened as she took in the sight of plethora of evergreens, all covered in a dusting of snow and glowing with vibrant lights. An impeccable sheet of snow blanketed the ground, yet the stone path that wove between the trees remained untouched by the white. "Where?"

"The Land of Kwamis," he answered.

She frowned. "The Land of Kwamis?" Her mind tried to recall why the name seemed familiar.

He nodded. "It's a magic land, one that's been told of in fairytales, specifically of the eastern variety. It's a realm parallel to the earthly one, inhabited by a few powerful creatures that grant different abilities to humans they deem worthy."

"Oh,' Marinette realized. "That's right. Mister Fu loves indulging anyone who will listen with tales about this place. I always believed them to be just tales, though."

"As do most," Chat relented. "Has he told you the story of the powerful king and queen, then? Of Tikki and Plagg?"

Marinette's expression crumpled as she tried to recall the memory. "Tikki is the queen of the realm, and she holds the power of creation. King Plagg holds the power of destruction. It's only by the balance of their powers that this kingdom flourishes and the other kwamis of the realm thrive."

"Very good," Chat nodded. "Now, do you know the story of the prince and princess?"

At that, she frowned, her brow knitting in confusion. "Do they have heirs?"

"They aren't the actual children of the Tikki and Plagg," Chat clarified. "The prince and princess are the humans that the king and queen chose to be the ambassadors for the earthly realm. They grant their powers to those humans to control their powers for them on earth."

"But why?"

"Because they are not the only kwamis of this realm. There are five others like them who grant powers to people, and sometimes, these powers fall into the wrong hands. It's not the fault of the kwamis, but sometimes, their magic seeps into the human realm and the people who stumble upon them aren't the highest of quality. Therefore, it is the job of the king and queen to chose a wielder of their powers—whom they dub the prince and princess—from the earthly realm to ensure these powers remain in check."

"Oh," Marinette said, her mind whirling in an attempt to process all the information. "So, if we're in a magical realm then? How do we get back home?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "You're handling all this very well."

"I'm trying not to break into a panic attack," she countered, her voice rising as evidence.

He chuckled. "Simple. We just have to find the Princess Ladybug, the chosen on of Tikki. She's the only one who will be able to send us home. That, and she's the only one who will be able to turn me back fully human."

She nodded slowly. "And…how'd we get here?"

"Do you remember the butterflies?"

Marinette nodded, unable to get the memory of being swarmed by glowing purple butterflies that had somehow invaded her bedroom out of her head.

"That was Hawkmoth's doing. Nooroo, one of the five other kwamis of this realm, is the general of the butterfly army. However, his magic seeped into the earthly realm, and an impure soul got ahold of him. Now, this man who goes by the name of Hawkmoth is trying to use Nooroo's power to make himself the King of the Land of Kwamis."

"And that's very bad," Marinette ventured, staring at Chat in hopes he would elaborate.

He didn't disappoint. "If he takes over, the magic of this realm will be changed and the earthly realm will suffer for it."

Marinette's eyes widened as she took a shaky breath. "Ok," she said, her voice high and squeaky with nervousness. "That's bad."

Nodding, he squeezed her shoulders in reassurance. "We just have to find Princess Ladybug. She'll be able to stop this."

"So, basically, we have to find her or you remain a cat, I don't get to go home, and the world falls apart."

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "No pressure."

She tried to shove her growing hysterics down, but when she tried to force a shaky smile, she knew she failed. "Yeah. None at all."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I totally meant to have this finished for the holidays. Obviously, sadly, that didn't happen. :( But I do not like leaving works unfinished! So, we shall continue.

* * *

Marinette allowed Chat Noir to lead her through the forest. For the most part, she remained silent, unable to even think of anything to say. Instead, she examined the land, the lights on the trees, and the pristine snow that glittered in the sun. It was beautiful. Enchanting. Mesmerizing. "Are the lights always on the trees?" she asked. "Or is it just for Christmas?"

Chat turned to give her a smile. "The lights will stay on the trees until the snow melts. Tikki does not like the cold, so she insists the lights stay on the trees so that there is a redeeming quality to the winter months."

Marinette absently nodded. "So, someone puts them all up?"

"Once again, that is Tikki's doing. She's the creator of the land, and a very powerful one at that. I've heard she does it all with a wave of her hand."

Powerful, indeed, considering how many trees had lights strung up on them. "And is it just magic that keep them all lit?"

Chat simply nodded.

"Wow."

Suddenly, a chill blew through the land, one that was not because of the wind and caused Marinette to shutter. She curled up into herself, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. She barely noticed the way the lights on the trees flickered.

"The magic," Chat said on a breath. "It's being altered."

Marinette looked up at him wide-eyed. "What does that mean?"

He grimaced. "It means Hawkmoth is slowly growing more powerful."

Once again, Marinette shivered.

Chat's inhuman eyes filled with concern. "Come on, milady," he said, pulling her close to his side. "Let's get you somewhere warmer. I think I know just the place."

Unwilling to resist the warmth he offered, she curled against him, allowing him to guide her through the forest trees. While mostly focused on the ground, she noticed the dim colors that emanated from the lights flicker against the white of the snow. They danced and swirled, dimming and brightening until, with a brilliant flash, they disappeared completely.

Marinette forced her head up, only to see that the lights hadn't just gone out; they were gone.

"This…this magic," Marinette stuttered out, "it's powerful enough to overtake the king and queen's?"

"The queen's, yes, but that is because the princess has not been found. You see, the kwami's magic doubles when it has a wielder in the earthly realm. Nooroo has a wielder, albeit a wicked one, but the queen does not. Therefore, while the queen is one of the most powerful kwamis, Nooroo's power currently overtakes hers."

Marinette's mouth formed an "oh" shape as she listened. "What…what about the king? Does he have a wielder?"

At this, Chat gave her a bittersweet smile. "He does. However, the king and queen's powers are connected and balanced against each other. This land depends on their magic being equal to be sustained."

"So, because there isn't a princess," Marinette ventured. "The king and queen are unequally balanced and the land suffers for it?"

Chat's mouth pressed into a line in deliberation. "In a sense," he eventually answered. "In that case, the more powerful of the two would then have to hold back some of their magic in order to keep the balance. But that isn't the greatest of the problems in this case. The king and queen, being opposites, each have their own skill that is needed to defeat Nooroo's holder and restore the land. The king's wielder has the ability to stop the holder, but only the queen's wielder has the ability to free Nooroo from his captor. Neither wielder can take on the other's job."

The more she processed those words, the greater her frown became. "So, wouldn't that mean that we need to find the king's holder as well, not just the queen's?"

"I know where he is," Chat easily answered. "We'll find him easily. It's just the princess we need to find."

"And how do we go about doing that?"

Chat's smile was soft. "I know which kwami we have to visit to learn that. However, you're cold, and I'm certain you're tired, hence why we are visiting another kwami until you have the chance to rest."

"We don't have time, do we?" Marinette asked, looking over the barren trees, the ones that were growing sparser the further they walked.

But the wind picked up again, blowing icy air towards Marinette, one that made her start shivering. She curled up against the needles blowing her way…

Needles?

Marinette watched with horror as the wind beat against the trees, ripping their needles off. But what scared her the most was the way they turned brown in the wind. They landed on the ground in piles, marring the pristine surface of the snow.

"Come on, milady," Chat said, tightening his grip on her as he pulled her along. She turned her attention away from the wind-ravaged trees to look up at him. "We should go."

Marinette put up no resistance as he pulled her along, walking automatically, feet following the path. Suddenly, Chat deviated from their stone pathway, earning a curious look from Marinette. He flashed her a warm smile as he grabbed her hand, pulling her into the snow. His feet, she noticed, made prints similar to those of a cat, the heel being the main difference. He walked backwards for a few steps, giving her the most reassuring grin he could before spinning forward again.

They charted their own path through the trees, leaving their trail of duel footprints in the recently dirtied snow. At some point, Marinette reached out to touch one of the branches of a tree, feeling the brown needles crunch under her fingertips and fall to the ground. She frowned, turning back to Chat all while hoping that they would find this Ladybug soon.

Marinette wasn't sure how far they walked, but it was beginning to hurt. It took her far too long to realize that it was because the snow was seeping through her socks. She wished she had shoes, and actual clothes instead of the pajamas she wore. There wasn't much that could be done about it, though.

"Is something wrong?" Chat asked.

She forced a smile, all while trying to wiggle some feeling back into her toes. "I…I only have socks."

He looked down at her feet, blinking at the fuzzy striped socks she wore as if noticing them for the first time. "Oh."

"Yeah," she sheepishly said. "My feet are a little cold, and I'm pretty sure these socks are ruin—nahh!"

It was sudden, unexpected, but when someone sweeps you into their arms, the first thing you do is grab hold to steady yourself. Which is how Marinette found herself curled up in Chat's hold with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Chat!" she cried. Belatedly, but still a cry.

"Hmm?" he responded, the twinkle in his eye totally undermining the innocent expression on his face.

"I can walk on my own."

"But you just said your feet were cold, and I don't want you to have to walk in stocking feet."

"You don't have to carry me, though," she argued.

"We're not that far. Just up ahead," he countered.

"How far up ahead?"

"Very close."

Her eyes narrowed. "How come I don't trust you?" she flatly challenged.

He responded with a bright smile. "Probably because I'm not trustworthy."

She groaned, but surrendered. She shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Bad kitty."

He chuckled, the vibrations of his chest bringing her comfort. "I try."

…

They arrived at a little cave, one that Marinette would be tempted to call a den. Something cozy and warm.

Very warm.

She frowned, searching the cave. There was a fire pit near the back, one surrounded by pillows and blankets, yet there was no fire in the pit. How could it be so warm here?

"Trixx has his ways," Chat said, answering her unspoken question. "I don't know how he does it, though."

"Trixx?" Marinette asked.

"The _Trixx_ -ter," he responded with a glowing grin. "He is actually in charge of the portals. He does his best to keep them under control as well as trick people who happen to wander through one that they're in a dream. However, he's not always successful, and the portals are random, so it's a bit hard to account for."

"But if one kwami is able to do it," a little voice said. "It's _me!"_

Suddenly, in a flash of fire, a fox appeared. "Hi!"

Marinette would later pat herself on the back for not screaming. "You're a fox."

"Of course," he chimed with a grin. "It's my true form. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I can shift."

"Umm…" Marinette hummed. "Frankly, everything is a…a little hard to absorb…"

"You're fine as you are," Chat spoke up, calling Trixx's attention.

"Ah, if it isn't the cat's chosen. Pleasure meeting you again."

"Cat's chosen?" Marinette repeated brow furrowing in confusion.

Had she turned to face him, she would have seen him cringe. "Trixx, you wouldn't happen to have any shoes, would you?" he asked, clearly trying to change the subject. "Marinette here would like some.

The fox tilted its head. "You think I just happen to have a pair of shoes just laying around?"

"Well, considering people leave stuff in this realm all the time and that you're a bit of a hoarder—"

"I resent that term!" Trixx cried, bright purple eyes blowing wide. "I do not _hoard_. I just _collect_ things from the real world."

"And would one of those items in said collection happen to be shoes?"

The fox stared at Chat for a long moment. "Yeah," he finally relented. In a flash of fire, the fox disappeared, leaving Marinette and Chat there alone.

"Cat's chosen?" Marinette repeated once again, curiosity growing. "You're connected to a kwami, then." The moment those words left her mouth, she felt foolish. Of course he was connected to a kwami. What else could explain his form?

"I am," he simply confirmed. Placing a hand on the small of her back, he led her away from the entrance, deeper into the cave. "I told you that you should rest," he said. "And I'll stand by that statement."

Marinette didn't resist him as he guided her over to the mountain of soft, plush things she really wanted to bury herself into. Happily, she made a nest of pillows before wrapping herself up in a fuzzy red blanket.

Then she happened a glance down at her socks. They were ruined, it seemed. No longer was the pink and white material fluffy and bright. Now, they were soggy and dull. Despite not wanting to lose coverings for her feet, she took off the socks and laid them down with a sigh.

The blankets around her shifted, and when a set of arms came around her, she froze.

"I'm just trying to keep you warm, milady," Chat said. Then he stiffened. "That is, if it's all right."

A smile came to her lips as she resituated the blankets around both of them

With a sigh, Chat relaxed and pulled her fully into his lap. His grip on her tightened, and he began rubbing her back soothingly.

It was sweet, and warm, and reassuring. Happy sigh escaping her, she snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're a good kitty."

That's when a rumbling started up in his chest. A purr, Marinette belatedly realized. Just like a real cat, he could purr. With a smile, she allowed her eyes to drift shut and slowly allowed him to lull her to sleep.


End file.
